Republicans demand Bowman face charges after pulling fire alarm

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a mounting number of fellow Republicans are calling for Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman to be “punished” after they alleged that he pulled a fire alarm to delay a crucial vote as a government shutdown loomed.

McCarthy told reporters on Saturday that he intended to speak with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, over the incident, likening it to the actions of the January 6, 2021 rioters who stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results.

“But this should not go without punishment,” McCarthy told NBC News’ Julie Tsirkin. “This is an embarrassment.”

Bowman, in a statement apologizing for the ordeal on Saturday night, denied pulling the alarm as a political stunt and said he activated it “mistakenly thinking it would open the door.”

The alarm caused evacuations as Congress was scrambling to pass legislation to fund the federal government on Saturday afternoon, mere hours away from the deadline. The House, on a bipartisan vote carried by Democratic support in the GOP-controlled chamber, passed a short-term spending bill that will keep federal funding at its current levels for 45 days. The bill was also approved in the Senate, after being delayed by Senator Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, who was demanding a commitment of aid to Ukraine, which the measure did not include.

Bowman said in the statement, which was posted on X, that he was “embarrassed” about the incident.

“I want to be very clear, this was not me, in any way, trying to delay any vote,” the New York Democrat said in the online statement. “It was the exact opposite – I was trying urgently to get to a vote, which I ultimately did and joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to keep our government open. I also met after the vote with the Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police, at their request, and explained what had happened. My hope is that no one will make more of this than it was. I am working hard every day, including today, to do my job, to do it well, and deliver for my constituents.”

Newsweek reached out via email on Saturday night to Bowman’s representatives for comment.

A U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) department spokesperson confirmed to Newsweek earlier on Saturday that a fire alarm was “activated” at 12:05 p.m. on the second floor of the Cannon building, which houses congressional offices.

“The building was evacuated while USCP officers checked the building,” according to the USCP statement. “The building was reopened after it was determined that there was not a threat. An investigation into what happened and why continues.”

The incident sparked a wave of outrage on social media from Bowman’s Republican colleagues, who believed the alarm pull was the Democrat’s tactic to delay the House vote. Several of his GOP critics alleged on X, formerly Twitter, that pulling the alarm constitutes the crime of disrupting an official proceeding and that he should face consequences.

McCarthy told reporters on Saturday afternoon that be believed Bowman’s actions warranted an investigation by the House Ethics Committee.

“We watched how people have been treated if they’ve done something wrong in this Capitol. It will be interesting to see how he was treated, on what he was trying to obstruct when it came to the American public,” the House speaker said.

Some Republicans called for a harsher punishment, with firebrand Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene saying that Bowman should be prosecuted under the same law that was used to charge January 6 rioters.

Greene took to X to lash out at Bowman. In the post, the congresswoman shared a video where she called for him to face charges.

“Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman pulled the fire alarm in the Cannon building this afternoon and interrupted the official proceedings of the House as Republicans worked to keep the government open,” the Georgia Republican said. “I’m calling on the DOJ to prosecute him using the same law they used to prosecute J6 defendants for interfering with an official proceeding. The Democrats literally will do anything to shut OUR government down because billions aren’t going to their favorite country: Ukraine.

Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert slammed Bowman in a post on X, where she echoed calls for criminal charges.

“In a desperate attempt to buy leftists more time to further destroy our country and prevent us from funding the government, it appears Rep. Jamaal Bowman may have been caught red-handed on camera falsely pulling a fire alarm and causing evacuations, Boebert posted on X. “He should be charged and prosecuted immediately!”

Representative Matt Rosendale, a Maryland Republican, said that January 6 rioters are serving prison time “for doing less” than controversial Bowman’s mishap.

“How is it that Rep. Jamal Bowman (D-NY) can pull a fire alarm during a vote, which is clearly ‘interfering with a legislative proceeding,’ and there be no ramifications,” Rosendale posted. “Yet, protestors from across the country who came to Washington on January 6th are serving hard time in prison for doing less!#EqualJustice?”

Representative Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican, referred to Bowman as a “radical” Democrat.

“Radical Dem Rep. Jamaal Bowman just pulled the fire alarm in the House’s Cannon Building, which forced an evacuation and delayed votes,” Biggs said in a post on X. “I view this as interfering with official legislative proceedings. He is an insurrectionist.”

Representative Elise Stefanik, a New York Republican, accused Bowman of committing a felony.

“A Democrat Member of Congress just committed a felony by pulling the fire alarm to try to delay and stop a Congressional vote to fund the government,” Stefanik said in a post on X.

Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, shared a March video clip of him and Bowman in a verbal altercation over gun laws.

“In case you missed it, this is the same stable individual who pulled the fire alarm today in the Capitol during votes,” Massie said.